For transfusions of blood and blood components, whole blood is typically separated into three components: plasma, red blood cells and platelets.
There are traditionally two ways to obtain these blood components. One way is to collect whole blood from donors/patients and separate it into components manually at some time period after the whole blood collection. Using this method, whole blood is collected into FDA-approved containers that are pyrogen-free and sterile, and contain sufficient anticoagulant for the quantity of blood to be collected. Whole blood which is collected in this way is separated into components manually in a lab by a technician, and separation typically occurs from between about 2 and 8 hours after collection in the United States, and between about 2 to 24 hours in Europe.
Another way to separate whole blood into components is by using apheresis or automated cell-separation devices. Apheresis devices separate whole blood into components automatically, and return any uncollected blood components back to the donor during the collection procedure.
An alternative to manual processing of whole blood as described above is the automatic processing of previously collected whole blood using an automated whole blood processing device such as the Atreus machine, manufactured by Gambro BCT, Inc. (Lakewood, Colo., USA.)
In whole blood processing, (whether by hand or by an automated machine), and in apheresis the addition of anticoagulant to the blood is necessary to prevent the formation of blood clots. In manual whole blood processing, blood is collected from a donor/patient directly into a bag that contains an approved anticoagulant-preservative solution designed to both prevent clotting and maintain cell viability and function during storage. In manual whole blood processing, whole blood is collected in CPD (citrate-phosphate-dextrose) anticoagulant.
In apheresis processing, the anticoagulant ACDA (acid-citrate-dextrose formula A) is added to the blood withdrawn from a donor/patient at the beginning of the collection procedure.
It is to the optimal collection of platelets and to the optimal leukoreduction of red blood cells from whole blood processed on an automated blood processing device that the present invention is directed.